Protests will take place against animal testing at Oxford University to mark the 40th World Day for Animals in Laboratories (WDAIL) and highlight the plight of animals who suffer in huge numbers in the name of research and profit, in this country and abroad.

The UK is one of the largest users of laboratory animals in the world. The latest Home Office statistics reveal that 3.87 million experiments were conducted in 2017, about half of which were in universities.

Oxford carried out about 220,000 experiments on animals in 2018, placing it at or near the top of the list of universities who engage in vivisection.

Scientific research 

This year’s protest is co-organised by WDAIL and Speak – the Voice for the Rights of Animals.  

Speak campaigned against the building of a new animal laboratory by Oxford University and still regularly holds demonstrations and information stalls in the city. 

Speak founder Mel Broughton says: “Millions of animals are still being experimented on in the name of medical research.

“In the twenty-first century  we now have the means and the ability to carry out cutting edge medical research without recourse to animal experimentation. 

“Those who think that science is ethically neutral confuse the findings of science, which are, with the activity of science, which is not”.

Event speakers

Mike Huskisson –  campaigner since the 1970s and the first person to rescue an animal from a laboratory in the UK.

Jessamy Korotoga  –  campaigns manager for vivisection at Animal Aid.

John Curtin – veteran activist who took part in one of the most famous raids on a laboratory animal breeder in 1990.

Claire Palmer – founder Animal Justice Project, which campaigns against vivisection.

Peter Egan – Patron of the campaign Scarlett, beagle ambassador for the science-based group For Life On Earth (FLOE).

The day begins with a rally at Oxpens Park, Oxpens Road, OX1 1RQ at noon. There will be speakers and refreshments.

The march will set off at about 1.00pm and the route will take it along Cornmarket, Oxford’s busiest street, to the University’s laboratory in Mansfield Road, where there will be further speeches. It will then make its way back to Oxpens park, via Cornmarket, to finish about 4.00pm.

This Article 

This article is based on a press release from World Day for Animals in Laboratories.